Virtual Reality Esports - Understanding Competitive Players' Perceptions of Location Based VR Esports

Title of the Paper

Virtual Reality Esports - Understanding Competitive Players’ Perceptions of Location-Based VR Esports

Paper Information

• Field of Study: Virtual Reality Esports and Player Experience
• Keywords: Virtual Reality Esports, Player Experience, Feasibility Study, Immersion, On-Site Competition, VR Sports Industry, Physical Embodiment, Technology and Design, Spectator Experience

Research Background and Issues

• Problems or Challenges:

  • While VR esports is emerging in the current esports field, little is known about players' attitudes and experiences in this context.
  • How VR esports distinguishes itself from traditional esports through physical movements, technical support, and audience interaction.
  • Challenges such as health concerns, technical barriers, and audience engagement issues persist.

• Significance:

  • VR esports combines technology, physical movement, and competitiveness, representing a potential new frontier in esports development.
  • Understanding Player Experience (PX) and identifying design factors that enhance engagement and enjoyment in VR games are crucial for advancing VR esports.

• Motivation and Related Work:

  • Motivation: To fill the research gap on players’ attitudes and experiences in VR esports and explore how VR technology enhances engagement and immersion.
  • Related Work: Previous studies have primarily focused on comparisons between VR games and traditional versions, with little attention to player experience in VR esports.

Proposed Solution

• Proposed Method or Solution:

  • A qualitative research approach was adopted, featuring a pre-game interview, game experience, and post-game interview structure.
  • Participants were university students familiar with traditional esports (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) who experienced a VR esports game, Sol Raiders, at a VR entertainment center.

• Innovative Aspects:

  • Focused on the integration of VR and esports, analyzing its potential from the perspectives of players’ physical movements, strategies, and teamwork.
  • Conducted the first systematic exploration of VR esports player experience, providing a reference methodology for future research.

• Implementation Steps and Techniques:

  • Pre-Interview: Gathered participants’ existing perceptions of VR and VR esports, using demonstration videos to help them understand VR esports.
  • Game Experience: Observed and recorded players’ immersion and interaction behaviors during a VR esports game at the Zero Latency VR center.
  • Post-Interview (Focus Group): Discussed players’ specific experiences in Sol Raiders and compared them with traditional esports.

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:

  • Identified five key themes regarding VR esports: physical embodiment, immersion and interactivity, technology and accessibility, spectator experience, and skills and strategy.
  • Players exhibited high levels of immersion during gameplay, particularly in spatial layout and free movement.
  • VR esports combines the physical skills of traditional sports with the reflexes of esports, requiring greater coordination and strategy.

• Comparison with Existing Solutions and Advantages:

  • Compared to traditional esports, VR esports offers unique physical embodiment and immersive experiences.
  • In terms of spectator experience, VR esports introduces multidimensional interaction possibilities between players and the virtual environment.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Immersion: Players reported higher immersion during the first match (practice mode), with the second match affected by network latency.
  • Player Behavior: Players demonstrated unique physical movements such as dodging and crouching, showcasing VR-specific tactical spaces.
  • Influencing Factors: Technical latency, equipment accuracy (e.g., weapon tracking), and interaction authenticity significantly impacted player experience and immersion.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:
    • Small sample size focused on traditional esports players, which may not fully represent the broader VR esports player base.
    • Short gameplay duration, potentially limiting players’ adaptation to the new system.
    • Use of a single FPS game, Sol Raiders, limiting generalizability to other VR esports genres.
  • Future Directions:
    • Investigate how VR technology can enhance players’ movement strategies and social interactions.
    • Explore spectator engagement models in VR esports, such as virtual cameras and personalized audience options.
    • Examine the feasibility of remote multiplayer esports using VR technology.

Conclusion

As the first exploratory study in the field of VR esports, this research reveals how VR technology introduces new possibilities to esports while highlighting constraints related to technology, cost, and space. The findings provide valuable guidance for designing immersive VR esports games and pave the way for deeper understanding of player attitudes and experiences.